


Take me somewhere new

by citydreaming



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: 5+1 Things, Coming Out, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 19:42:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14432742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citydreaming/pseuds/citydreaming
Summary: “I’ve never been serious with a guy before so it didn't matter. But I am now so this does. It’s as simple as that.”OR five times Mat and Tito came out and one time they didn’t have to.





	Take me somewhere new

**Author's Note:**

> usual rules apply: if you found this by googling your own/the name of someone you know PLEASE LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. this is complete fiction etc etc.
> 
> in my head this is the same ~verse as the previous fic i wrote (somewhere only we know) about these two idiots… which tbh is basically just canon and me getting carried away. i have been sitting on this for a couple of days and it’s un-beta’d so i feel like it is maybe super repetitive but that could be because i have read it a million times… so i’m just going to put it out into the world.

**•ONE•**

The first time they come out to someone it is honestly pretty underwhelming. It’s Jordan who they tell and after they’ve finished the rehearsed speech that has been prepared for like a month he just rolls his eyes.

“Do you two think I’m stupid?” he says and Tito stutters something that is almost the word _what?!_ in reply.

“Maybe it’s just because I’m stuck with your asses all the time but dude, it’s mad obvious you’re in to each other.” It’s said with the usual playful tone that Jordan seems to save for his linemates but Tito and Mat are too stunned that he’d apparently already figured them out that they don’t respond for a moment.

“So you just… already knew?” Mat manages eventually and he’s still clinging to Tito’s hand, their palms clammy because before they got to the rink this morning this had all seemed so daunting and terrifying.

“I mean you’re not exactly the most discreet people i’ve ever met, Tito spends half his time eye fucking you and you turn in to jealous dickbag whenever anyone flirts with him so.” Jordan shrugs and finishes lacing up his skates.

“Wait so do you think the other guys know?” Tito asks, heart hammering at the thought of being the locker room gossip. 

“I honestly don’t know man. No one has said anything, we do train together the most and obviously we catch dinner after practice and shit half the time so it could just be me. But Mat has been living with Seids all year so i’d be surprised if at least he hasn’t figured it out.”

Tito looks at Mat who just kind of shrugs helplessly like he doesn’t know what the fuck to think of that.

“But… you’re cool?” Tito presses on, because this hasn’t gone at all like they thought it would and he needs to know for sure that Jordan is okay with this.

“Yeah of course. It’s none of my business who you two fuck and the fact that it’s each other doesn’t bother me at all. You’ve both managed to leave any shit at the door when we’ve been on the ice so if you’re happy then great, I’m happy for you both too.”

And that is that. They’re all in Denmark and warm ups are about to start so Tito scrambles in to his jersey and helmet quickly before following Mat and Jordan out of the locker room. It feels weird to go from discussing his relationship with Mat to doing drills on the ice but it also feels a little freeing, admitting that they’re together to someone else. 

Tito just hopes that everyone takes the news as well as Ebs, but he honestly doesn’t expect that they’ll be so lucky.

**•TWO•**

After they win silver in the World Championships Mat flies back to Canada, he’s still pumped from the competition and when he lands in Vancouver his Mom is waiting in the arrivals section looking so happy to see him. It’s the best feeling in the world to make his parents proud after all the time and money that they’ve put in to his hockey over the years and Mat relishes it when she hugs him hard enough to bruise.

“Welcome home honey! Have you got all your luggage?” and Mat nods because his cabin suitcase and duffel bag is all he ever travels with these days. His hockey things will be sent back to New York and honestly that is one of the biggest perks of playing in the NHL. He doesn’t miss dragging his own kit and sticks across the world like a sucker for one second.

His parents and sister fuss over him for a couple of hours when they get home. They all eat dinner together and Mat has missed this, he spent a week or so at home before the World Championships but he’d spent so much time trying to catch up with his friends that he didn’t manage to eat nearly enough of his Mom’s home cooked meals. 

He also has an ulterior motive for this visit and he wants to make the most of things the way they are before he tells his family he’s in love with a guy. Generally they’re a pretty liberal bunch but Mat knows that finding out your own son is with a dude is probably pretty different to supporting gay rights in general. 

So for the first two days he keeps quiet and enjoys the attention and familiarity of home. And on the third day he texts Tito for moral support. 

Mat: I’m gonna do it over dinner tonight

Tito: shit, good luck!!! call me after? 

Mat: yeah… fuck tito this is freaking me out

Tito: dont stress, it’ll probably all be fine. they might even do an Ebs and tell you they already know.

Mat: lol i doubt it

Mat: but thanks <3 talk to u later 

His Mom makes spaghetti for dinner and his Dad is talking about his sister's graduation that is coming up when Mat finally bites the bullet. 

“Hey guys so I have something to tell you all” he says and then they’re all looking at him, curious but supportive as always and that is the push he needs. 

“So you all know Tito right?” 

They do, obviously, because they’ve been to his games and even before the Islanders Mat and Tito had been close.

“Are you ok? Is Anthony alright?” his Mom asks when Mat goes silent, unable to find the right words. He nods. 

“Yeah he...I… we’re fine. We’re also… kind of together?”

“Together?” that’s his Dad and Mat swallows. 

“Yeah… like dating. I’m dating Tito.”

The silence that follows is deafening and Mat’s sister looks as uncomfortable as he feels as the moment stretches on. 

“I mean if anyone wanted to say something that would be great…”

And then the three of them are tripping over themselves to respond, mostly they’re shocked and his sister says “well at least Tito is cool, not like that last bitch you were dating” and Mat’s Mom scolds her for swearing at the dinner table. It makes him laugh and Mat feels like he can breathe again.

“So have you told anyone else?” Mat’s Dad asks and it’s obvious he’s thinking about how this might impact his career and honestly Mat can’t blame him for thinking about that. No one is out in the NHL so if they decide to go there then it could definitely be a shit show.

“Just Ebs, but Tito is going to tell his brother this week.” 

Mat gets a grilling for the next hour as he admits how long they’ve been dating and promises his Mom he’ll bring Tito home with him next time until eventually they let him escape to his bedroom. The second the door closes behind him Mat dials Tito’s number, desperate to hear his voice and reassure him that Mat hasn’t been disowned. 

“Hey, how was it?” Tito asks when he picks up after the second ring. 

“Awkward but okay, they were a bit shocked at first… but then it was all good you know?”

“Fuck Mat I’ve been so nervous all evening… I wish I was there.”

“Me too man… and so does my Mom apparently. You’ve got to come and visit before the season starts, those are direct orders from Mama Barz and you don’t wanna piss her off.”

“Definitely don’t want to piss her off whilst i’m shacking up with her son.”

A laugh bursts out of Mat and it feels so good to laugh now he’s got the big secret out in the open with his family, especially with Tito’s voice in his ear and the promise of them coming back home together soon.

**•THREE•**

Tito and his brother decided after he signed with the Islanders that they would make the effort to take a trip together in the summer each year. They’re both busy most of the time and it’s not often they get to just hang out together and chill. So Tito decides that whilst Mat is flying back home after Worlds that he will fly to Florida to hang out at the beach with Frank. 

Last year a couple of their friends had tagged along on their brotherly bonding trip but this year it’s just the two of them for five days at a beachside condo. And after Tito takes the call from Mat two days into his vacation he decides that he wants to be brave too.

The idea of coming out to his parents is genuinely terrifying but Frank seems like a more achievable goal. It’s only after he hangs up the phone with Mat that he starts to panic because god, he’s never done this alone before. There has only ever been Mat who was worth even considering coming out for, the guys before him just random hook ups or hockey bro-jobs. Tito and Mat have discussed it and they’d both just assumed in their younger days that hooking up with guys was experimentation, only now this thing between them feels serious and maybe it was actually bisexuality the whole time.

Tito honestly doesn’t care about the label, he just cares about the way Mat makes him feel and generally that ranges between horny as fuck and sickeningly in love. If it was just the sex then he wouldn’t even consider telling anyone about it, but he knows that what they have is so much more.

So the next day when Frank suggests they hit up one of the public pools because “I swear man, there is only so much sand up my ass that a guy can deal with” Tito agrees. 

The place they end up at is actually pretty quiet but it’s the middle of the week and not even June yet so most people are probably still in school or work and Tito is relieved. The less people around to overhear him telling his brother that he likes dick the better. He’s even considered having the whole conversation in French even though they generally speak English when they’re not at home these days. Tito still feels like he has a lot to learn, especially now he’s expected to publicly speak English so every little helps.

“You okay man? You seem tense” Frank asks when they’ve snagged two sun loungers and ordered two beers. After a couple of days of sports on the beach they’re both more than ready to spend a lazy afternoon in the sun. 

“Yeah just wiped from the season and stuff I guess.” Frank buys it and Tito is glad, wanting to chill at least little bit before everything potentially gets fucked. It’s not that he thinks Frank is homophobic, it’s just they’ve never spoken about it and really he isn’t sure what to expect. 

They eat nachos and wings for lunch and Mat texts him when he wakes up with just a _good luck <3_ but it’s enough to make Tito feel brave. So whilst they’re still sitting at one of the shaded little tables by the snack bar he nudges Frank and takes a deep breath.

“Hey dude can we talk?” he says, in English even though he’s desperate to revert back to French, for safety, or something.

“Always… whats up?”

“So you know how I’m moving in with Barzy this year yeah?”

“Yeah, I saw your snapchats of the place, it looks great, real bachelor pad.” 

Tito swallows and wipes his sweaty palms against his board shorts.

“Yeah it’s a cool space. But anyway what I wanted to say was that… well we decided to move in together because...I mean… um, well.”

“Jesus Bro spit it out already.”

Tito takes a deep breath.

“We’re together. He’s my boyfriend.”

It’s only two short sentences but they’re probably the most terrifying things that Tito has ever said. He’d been nervous before they told Ebs but this feels different, bigger. This isn’t some guy he’s played hockey with for twelve months… this is his big brother who is sitting across from him looking a bit shell shocked. 

“Okay” Frank says eventually, carefully. 

“Okay?”

“Yeah… I mean it’s weird, I didn’t have any idea you were in to guys but… Okay.”

It’s not exactly the warmest reaction but Frank isn't calling him a disgusting fag and walking away either so Tito will take it, even if the lump in his throat is making it hard to breathe. 

They move back over to the sun loungers and Frank puts his airpods in and picks up the magazine he’d discarded before lunch. Tito texts Mat and tries not to cry.

Tito: he said, and i quote “okay”

Mat: ???? that’s it?

Tito: yeah man, and now he’s just… not talking

Mat: wtf he never shuts up usually

Tito: i know… fuck. i’m trying not to lose it Mat but i dont know what to do now.

Tito’s phone rings then, Mat’s name flashing across the screen and Tito feels weird answering with Frank about five feet away so he stands up and heads back toward the snack bar to hide in shade and speak in private.

“Hey” Tito says when he accepts the call.

“Hey… sorry if i’m making things weird by calling.”

“No, I’m glad, it’s fucking good to hear your voice man.”

“I’m sorry things didn’t go great with Frank.”

“Yeah” Tito sighs “he wasn’t even a dick about it or anything so I feel dumb for being upset but he just. Didn’t really say anything and I don't know what that means y’know?” 

“He’s probably just shocked, give him a minute to come around okay?”

“Yeah you’re right. I should go though, thanks for calling, I’ll text you later.”

“Okay, catch you later babe.”

The rest of the afternoon is quiet and awkward and by the time they head back to the condo Tito just wants to pack his stuff and leave, go back to Brooklyn or to Mat in Vancouver.

“So, uh. If you want me to I can get a hotel tonight or something” Tito says, stomach twisting because he’s never wanted to run away from his brother before.

“What?! Fuck Anthony I don’t want you to leave… I’m sorry… I just.”

Tito knows that the use of his full name means this is a _serious talk_ and that just makes him want to run away even more. 

“I dunno man it’s your business who you fuck and I don’t think it matters that it’s Barz, it was just a shock and now I feel like shit because you’ve apparently been keeping the fact that your into dudes a secret from me for however long. It’s just a lot to get my head around alright?” 

“I mean you’ve spent the four hours since I told you basically ignoring me so i’m honestly wishing i’d kept it a secret a bit longer right now.”

And all of a sudden Tito is mad because _fuck this_ , Frank doesn’t get to play the victim for not releasing this about Tito sooner. 

“Look, this is bullshit. It shouldn't matter that I didn't tell you sooner. I’ve never been serious with a guy before so it didn't matter. But I am now so this does. It’s as simple as that.”

Frank looks like he’s just been punched and Tito thinks ‘good’ because that’s how he’s been feeling all goddamn afternoon.

“God, you’re right. I’m sorry man. I didn’t mean to be a dick, if you’re happy that is all i care about okay?” And then Frank pulls Tito into a hug and he thinks maybe this will all be alright after all.

**•FOUR•**

In June the only thing anyone can talk about is John Tavares signing a new contract with the Isles and Mat is fucking stoked about it from a hockey perspective. But also this means he has to come clean about him and Tito being together and he feels like they’ve done enough coming out in the last two months to last a fucking lifetime.

But they’d agreed that if he resigned then they’d be honest with the captain. It seemed like the decent thing to do in case the whole thing came out publicly before they had a chance to. Mat had even volunteered because he generally spent a bit more time with John than Tito and now he is regretting that. 

He waits until July when most people are back in New York before he shoots John a text asking if he wants to get lunch. It’s not something they’ve done regularly before but they wont start training together for another couple of weeks probably and Mat would rather do this away from the rink anyway. 

Mat: hey man, u up for lunch one day next week? Something i need to discuss with u and would rather do it face to face

John: you and beau are living in brooklyn this year yeah? I’m over that way on fri if you’re free?

Mat: sounds good, text me a place, i’ll meet u there 

John: see ya friday kid

Mat shows Tito the texts and Tito offers to come too but Mat waves him away, he offered to do this and honestly it doesn’t actually matter what John thinks of the whole thing. It won’t change anything and John would never let it interfere with hockey anyways so really it’s just a courtesy lunch to say “by the way me and Beau are fucking, FYI.”

When friday rolls around they decide to meet at some sushi place that is hipster and lowkey enough that Mat doesn’t feel like the whole world will be listening in. It helps that they’re not living on Long Island this year where hockey players are a bigger deal than they are in Brooklyn. 

John is already there when Mat arrives and he is glad, it gives him less time to sit and stew about the whole thing. They launch straight into bro-hugs and back slaps and welcome backs. Seeing his teammates after the off season is one of Mat’s favourite things because it means it's almost time to get back on the ice, but today he’s more reserved, nervous even though he doesn’t want to be.

They pass an hour with stories of the summer and spicy tuna rolls and by the time they’re finished eating John cuts to the chase.

“So what's up man? You said you wanted to talk? I assumed it wasn’t just desperate curiosity about my vacation.”

Mat laughs and thinks for a second that he’s really glad John will be around again this year.

“Um, well it’s just that there is something I want to tell you because I think you should know in case things go down in the future and I don’t want you to be blindsided by the media or whatever…”

Mat and Tito know that if they ever decide to come out publicly it will be a Big Deal and that if they’re both still on the Islanders roster when that happens then their captain will be hounded too. 

“Well that sounds ominous…” John looks nervous like he’s expecting Mat to admit to being a drug addict or something and maybe that means the truth will seem less dramatic.

“It’s really not a big deal but… okay so it’s like this. Me and Beau are involved.”

“Involved?” John asks slowly, like he’s processing but he doesn’t look surprised exactly. 

“Together, dating… whatever you want to call it. We don’t plan on making it public knowledge but shit happens and gay NHL athletes would probably being breaking news so, we wanted you to know, just as a heads up.”

“Wow. How long has this been going on?” 

“Since about November? We already told Ebs and he said he’s pretty much figured it out already.”

John smiles at that.

“I mean I did consider it once or twice but then you’re both tactile guys and not just with each other so. But i’m behind you both man. I know you said you want to keep it on the downlow but if that changes let me know, i’ll have your backs.”

Mat sighs in relief.

“Thanks dude, I appreciate it, I know Beau will to.”

After they pay and finish up Mat hops on the subway home and wonders how he got so lucky to find teammates as great as Jordan and John. There are plenty of homophobes in the world and he’s sure there are probably a couple in their locker room but thankfully the first two people they've trusted with their secret are not and that feels like a win for now.

**•FIVE•**

It’s almost December before Tito works up the courage to come out to his parents. They have two days off after an away game against the Habs so Mat decides to stay in town with him and Tito thinks “fuck it” because they have to be secretive enough of the time that he wants to at least be honest with his family.

It’s nerve wracking as hell because they’re honestly pretty conservative and even though Frank has been cool and supportive since their trip in the summer, the actual coming out part still sucked. 

In the end he decides to leave Mat at the team’s hotel and heads to his parents for a family dinner. It feels safe and comforting and Tito tries not to second guess himself too much before blurting out that he’s dating Mat.

They’ve finished with dinner and are lounging in front of the TV after dissecting the game Tito played the night before when he just… says it. And then it’s out there and he can’t take it back and honestly Tito feels free. It’s been a year since he and Mat started this whole thing and the more they tell people about it the more real it feels. He loves Mat and he just wants to share that with the important people in his life.

Neither of them has any desire to be gay NHL poster boys or what the fuck ever but Tito wants to bring Mat home when they play in Montreal and he wants to take him skating with his friends over Christmas and all that other couple-y stuff he has never really given a fuck about before.

Tito’s parents don’t say much after his admission and it just stretches into a super awkward silence. He had been expecting it really because he’s honestly never heard them even reference someone being gay before. But still it hurts, and after an hour of stilted questions and weird silences he bows out, heading back to the hotel where Mat is waiting for him. His parents barely even protest like they usually would and that feels even fucking worse.

It’s only once he’s behind the closed door of an anonymous hotel with Mat’s arms holding him together that Tito finally cracks because even though they hadn't been openly hostile about it, his parents had also been far from accepting.

He tells Mat, forcing the words past the lump in his throat and Mat’s fingers thread through Tito’s hair as he listens.

“It’s just a shock babe, I mean the last person you brought home to them was a woman, give them a minute to get used to the idea okay?” Mat says, all diplomatic and reasonable just like he was after Frank found out and Tito kind of loves him even more for it. 

He’s not sure if Mat is right and his parents will come around or if it will be something they just won’t discuss from now on but as Mat undresses him and maneuvers them towards the bed he can’t help but think that he won’t give this up because of their disapproval. 

—-

It takes a week for Tito’s Mom to call, a week in which he doesn't speak to either of his parents at all and that is probably the longest they’ve ever gone without speaking. They’re the type of family who has a group text chat and his parents always at least text to congratulate or commiserate after a game. In that week Tito plays two games (one win, one OT loss) and the group chat is silent the whole time. It breaks his heart but he also refuses to make the first move.

So when his phone rings on a Tuesday evening after practice Tito answers with shaking hands. Mat isn’t home yet, he and Jordan had decided to hit the gym after skating, Tito had declined that particular offer, his thigh muscles already screaming after running drills on the ice for hours. 

“Hey Maman” he says and then she is crying down the phone, apologising before Tito can say anything else.

She apologises for the night he came out and how they acted and for the week of silence, she apologises for missing their post game texts and the play by play that her and Tito’s Dad usually send whilst he is actually on the ice. 

“I’m so sorry Tito it’s just… it’s not what we expected for you and it took me a while to come to terms with the life I had planned for you not mapping out like I thought it would.”

“I’m happy though Maman, isn’t that what really matters? I get to play hockey in a city I love and then go home to a man that I love and it’s all so good that I can’t believe my luck…”

“And then me and your father ruined it reacting like we did.”

Tito doesn’t respond because the answer is obvious.

“Okay” she says eventually “it might be too little too late but… bring Mathew home with you at Christmas? At least for a couple of days. We want to see you and we… want to get to know him. As your partner not your hockey buddy. Will you do that?”

Tito agrees and they end the call a minute later and then he cries with relief and gratitude that his parents are willing to try. Mat finds him in the same position an hour later with tear stained cheeks and phone still clutched in his hand and when Tito explains Mat just holds him tight.

“So, you fancy doing the meet the parents thing at Christmas?” Mat doesn’t point out that they’ve met each others parents before, instead he just smiles, nods and kisses Tito.

**•PLUS ONE•**

After months of slowly revealing their relationship to the people around them everything changes in the new year. The season is going well and after an away win against the Rangers everyone decides to hit up a bar in Manhattan. It’s been a while since the whole team headed out together and it’s good, Mat is drunker than he usually gets and Tito isn’t doing much better so they’re more handsy than usual. There is still only Jordan and John who know about the whole dating thing but none of the other guys even bat an eyelid at them cuddled together in a booth, sloppy drunk and giggling.

It’s a good night, full of dancing and laughing and girls trying to hit on _everyone_ and by the time they fall onto their bed back in Brooklyn Mat feels on top of the fucking world.

The next morning it all comes crashing down. Tito wakes up first and Mat hears him pad into the bathroom, hears the water run as he brushes his teeth and pops two advil. It makes him feel warm in a hungover, domestic way and it’s only when he reaches for his phone to check the time that it all goes to shit. 

Mat has over a hundred missed calls and too many texts and emails to count. At first he’s terrified that someone has died or something equally dramatic but when he opens a text from  
his sister that says ‘thought you should see this... call me when you can’ he realises that no-one is dead, but a few people will probably want to kill them for being so careless. 

Under the text message there is a picture attached of him and Tito, they're outside the apartment block where they live and through sober eyes it's quite clear that the taxi driver was behind the camera of the phone used to take it. He hasn't captured anything too risque, thank god, because considering how drunk they'd both been that is basically a miracle, but they are quite obviously making out, and because he's an idiot Mat had shoved an Islanders beanie on after leaving the bar because it was snowing and that was all he could find in his duffel bag after the game.

There are more pictures Mat finds as he checks his other messages, ones of them before they got in to the cab holding hands, and individual ones of them as they'd climbed out that make it quite clear who they are - their faces in sharp focus against the glare of the bright street lights. 

It's pretty much a nightmare and what they've been trying to avoid for the last year and Tito doesn't even know yet because he's apparently climbed into the shower if the drumming water in the en suite is any indicator. Mat is honestly freaking out and he's pretty certain that if he checks Tito's phone there will be a similar number of missed texts and calls so he just... waits.

Eventually Tito comes out of the bathroom looking pink from the hot water and sleepy and adorable and Mat just wants to rewind, stop Tito from seeing the messages and go back to last night and convince him to get the subway instead of a taxi. But he can't and Tito notices his expression the second he looks over.

"Whats up?" He asks.

Mat just hands over his phone wordlessly and lets him read the articles for himself. He can't deny that the media works fast and there are already stories on a few different websites despite the pictures barely being ten hours old. Mat feels sick at the thought of the cab driver that they fucking tipped making bank off this but there is nothing they can do about it now. They’d been in the middle of a public street and they'd known he recognised them because he congratulated them on the game when they got in the car. The carelessness just makes the whole thing even worse because yeah, he didn't need to take the pictures but it's their own goddamn fault for not waiting five minutes to make out behind a closed door.

"Shit" Tito mutters, flopping on to the bed next to Mat. 

"Yeah." Mat agrees and takes his phone back, quickly replying to the people he actually cares about and clearing all the missed calls. He doesn't dare check social media and after he has text his parents to promise he'll call them later he rolls over to look at Tito.

"What do we do now?" he asks, because they never wanted to be in this position if they could help it but now they are so they have to deal  
with it. 

"I don't know man" Tito says "we need to call Dougie I guess, I had a missed call from him and I assume you did too. We should speak to him and see what he wants us to do?" It's as good a plan as any and Tito volunteers to make the call whilst Mat showers and Mat definitely isn't too proud to hide in the bathroom for five minutes and avoid that conversation. 

Mat maybe spends twenty minutes washing his hair and shaving and generally hiding from the world until he hears Tito finish on the phone and then he decides to be a man and actually face the music. Tito gives him the cliffs notes version of his conversation with their coach which is basically that the team and the organisation are behind them and if they want to do a press conference to let him know, otherwise they're expected a practice tomorrow as usual. 

It makes Mat feel a little bit less like the world is ending to know one more person in their life definitely isn't a homophobe. 

"Well...that's good?" 

"Yeah" Tito agrees "but like, how do you feel about not doing a press conference and just avoiding the world today?"

Mat knows it's not a long term solution but god, he is so down with pretending this isn't happening for at least a little while longer.

They both decide to send a mass text to their friends and family and then turn off their phones for the rest of the day. Thankfully they have food in the apartment so they do just spend the whole day at home, hiding from it all and eating junk that they will definitely regret tomorrow at training. It feels safe and comfortable and Mat kind of never wants to leave.

\---

Of course the next day they have to and when they head to practice the place is a goddamn circus - hoards of reporters are outside the ice center and Mat is glad they decided to drive in separately. He arrives first and he gets out of his car just as Anders pulls up beside him, Mat's never been more glad to see one of his teammates so he doesn't have to walk past the reporters alone.

"Damn kid, you two caused quite the stir" Anders says with a laugh, throwing an arm around Mat's shoulders and Mat ticks one more person off his mental list of people who apparently don’t have a problem with him being gay. 

"Trust me I didn't mean to."

"I bet, so you a Beau huh?"

"Yeah... you cool with it?"

Anders rolls his eyes at the question "you do you bro, come on, lets sneak in the side door." 

They make it inside the locker room before they see anyone else and a couple of the guys are already there changing into their pads and lacing their skates. Mat isn't about to make any kind of public announcement so he just heads over to his bench and starts getting changed too. Ebs is already there beside him and he gives Mat a slap on the back that he takes to be a slap of support. 

Tito turns up twenty minutes later as Mat is strapping on his helmet, ready to get on the ice and pound out some of the nervous energy running through him. Tito looks stressed and Mat can only assume he came in alone and got hounded by the press which Anders had helped him to avoid. He feels guilty but there are still a couple of the guys milling about and he doesn't want to make a big deal of asking if he's okay. 

Tito's locker is on the other side of Mat and it's so obvious everyone is watching them as Tito starts putting on his gear, and Mat didn't want to make a big announcement when he was alone but he can't help himself now. 

"You guys don't need to keep staring like we're about to fuck in the middle of the locker room. No-one has noticed a damn thing for the last year that we’ve been together so we're not going to start putting on a show just because some dickbag sold pictures of us okay?" Mat says the whole thing in a rush and nods at Tito for approval before grabbing his stick and leaving the room. 

 

Mat skates like a demon during training and when Tito tries to keep his distance Mat makes a point to pass him the puck because that is how they play and how they fucking win games. 

Ultimately it feels a bit anticlimactic because none of the guys even say anything that isn’t hockey related and there are no gay slurs being murmured behind their backs as far as Mat can tell. It’s only when they make it back to the locker room sweating and desperate for showers that Mat starts to feel uncomfortable. It doesn’t matter that he’s seen every dude in the room naked on a regular basis for over a year, he still feels like it’s going to be a _thing_ now.

In the end he waits until most of the others are finished in the showers before he rushes in and washes quickly, except when he comes back and Doug is calling everyone to attention he wishes he’s taken longer back there.

“Right” he’s saying as Mat yanks on a pair of shorts whilst Tito is fully dressed beside him “lets just address the elephant in the room because I don’t have time for drama in my locker room.”

Mat sits on the bench and looks around, everyone seems pretty chill and he hopes to god this doesn’t open the floodgates for people to air their issues with who him and Tito decide to fuck.

“Obviously Barzy and Beau have been blowing up the internet the last couple of days and as I’ve already told them this team and all of its staff are behind them. I don’t give a damn who any of you date and that goes for them two as well. You come here to do a job and play your best game every night and if anyone has any issue with that then your ass will be seeing a lot more bench action.”

“Here here!” Jordan says in agreement, unwaveringly supportive like he’s been since the moment they told him last summer. 

“You guys have anything to add?” Doug says, addressing Mat and Tito directly.

“I mean I already said it earlier to half of you but this hasn’t affected our game for over a year and I have no plans for that to change so anyone who has an issue that is on you, not me and Beau.” 

Tito just nods and really that is more his style, he doesn’t want to make waves, and generally neither does Mat but he feels better for addressing the guys and putting that out there. 

—-

It takes a while for the media attention to die down and Mat is so done with saying “no comment” every fucking day of his life but Doug keeps them on the same line and Tito scores in the next three consecutive games, two of which Mat gets an assist on so it’s not like anyone can comment on their game.

Tito changes his twitter profile picture to one of them on the ice together a week after the photos first surface and his replies go crazy for a few hours but other than that they decide not to address the whole thing publicly. It’s like an open secret now because Mat has no interest in flaunting his personal life but now it’s out there he has even less interest in hiding away forever. 

So they get papped leaving the team hotels together and buying coffee after practice and everyone makes a big deal when Mat hugs Tito during a celly for one of his goals, even if they’ve done exactly the same thing a million times before. But it’s not terrible like Mat had worried it might be, it’s actually easier to not worry constantly about touching Tito to much or in the wrong way. 

And the team really are behind them, there has been a bit of heckling and shit talking from guys on other teams and on those nights the gloves usually get thrown off. It’s never Mat or Tito who throws a punch but one of the other guys and it quickly sends a message to everyone in the league.

Mat would never have chosen to come out because of some pictures sold by a sleazy cabbie but as they head toward the end of the season he is ultimately glad. He can be with Tito without restrictions now and somehow they’ve managed to not cause too much of a stir. Mostly he’s relieved they managed to tell the important people before it became tabloid gossip.

It’s still touch and go to see if they’ll make the playoffs this year (Mat is praying they do because last season it had fucking sucked to leave the locker room in April) but Mat and Tito have been training harder than ever before so he has hope that they will. 

And Mat knows he is a lucky motherfucker to play the sport he loves professionally and also go home to the man he loves every night. Really, the fact that he gets to share both with Tito just makes it even sweeter and he would go through all of the awkward coming out conversations again to keep this. 

(Tito would too, and he whispers this into Mat’s skin one night, high on a big win and the orgasm that followed as they tangle together in another hotel bed. It’s everything they both didn't realise they wanted and somehow they’ve ended up in this moment together and honestly it feels a little bit miraculous.)


End file.
